Wheeee! Chapter 4! Alright. Okay. I managed to crank this out for you guys in a day (I really need to learn how to prioritize) and I feel really good about this one. I don't own anything Megaman as you already know. So let's have me shut the hell up and get to the good stuff!

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

When Vent wandered into Area B-1, he could see what the Guardians meant when they said smoke was pouring out of it. There was damage everywhere. The B areas largely resebled a road alond some sort of excavation site, though it wasn't really that in reality. Vent looked around and saw several Maverick mechaniloids everywhere. Vent sighed realizing he'd be stuck taking down everything that moved. Then he remembered what he was here for.

"Boss...I know you're here somewhere. Just be safe when I find you."

Vent charged into the area head on. He turned a corner and almost ran into a wall of oil barrels. Vent blinked, surprised that there was still oil in the world. With energy crystals, this stuff had become obsolete as an energy source. He recalled hearing something in history class about oil and gas costing $3 a gallon back during the turn of the millenium. Vent smiled to himself as he raised his buster.

"I wonder how many explosions I can make in one shot..."

When the charged buster shots came in contact with the flammable substance, the explosion took out all the barrels and several enemies behind it. Vent smiled, satisfied with the wanton destruction, and even more so to see that there were several more barrels of the stuff littered around. Vent carried on for awhile, blasting his way through several Galleon Hunters and Pattrolaurs. As he did so, Vent began to think that maybe this wouldn't be so bad until he heard something.

"Boing, boing, boing!"

"What the hell?"

Vent turned around and was met with six or seven of what appeared to be spring loaded mechaniloids...all charging straight at him very quickly.

"Yaaaah!"

Vent opened fire and took a few of them out before the others stopped, turned from ice-blue to red before bouncing into Vent and blowing up.

"Oww! Son of a...!

Vent staggered to his feet as he rubbed his head.

"I'm classifying those things under 'Must avoid.' They hurt..."

A little battered, Vent continued on. Now he was starting to think that maybe this wasn't going to be so easy. This time, his thought was met with six large, but slow moving, artillery shells.

"Take cover!"

Vent dropped behind a damaged wall. Once the barrage stopped, he peered around the corner and saw his attacker. A large cannon designed for damaging enemies with heavy armor. It was reloading.

"Well then..."

Vent popped out and returned fire. This foe was surprisingly well armored. Vent actually had to take cover again. He sighed as the cannon put several hole half a foot long into the wall.

"The one time I don't charge my buster, and the enemy is strong enough to survive for more than one round of attacks."

This time when it stopped firing, Vent had a charge shot already to go. He fired off the first and held onto the second one once he saw that the cannon was scrap.

"This could be a hazardous to my health...I guess that should be a given though."

Finally, Vent was reaching the end of the road with no sign of Giro anywhere. He was however, met with the sound of loud engines.

"Great. Something else that wants to kill me."

That thing was a massive drop ship that prompty dropped out two energy launchers, whose shots acted like a bouncy ball. Along with the launchers came a mine. Vent stared in disbelief.

"OH COME ON!!! Do you WANT me to kill you!?"

Vent saw that this could go one of two ways. He could detonate the mines, throwing the cannons into the ship, or he could do a more...human tough. The launchers and mines were to slick to wall climb up, so Vent just clambered up them like a kid in a tree. Once up there, he hopped onto the wing of the ship and walked up to the cockpit, where the computer was on autopilot.

"This is too easy."

Vent charged up his buster and aimed at the control console, fired, and jumped down to watch it go up in smoke. Much to his dismay, it was still flying. Frozen in place, but flying.

"Well, this is annoying."

Then another voice rang out.

"Then allow me!"

Another person came flying in, red armor and a visor reflecting in the light. He drew an energy saber and slashed the cockpit once, causing the drop ship to spiral out of control and crash into the wall. Vent stared in awe.

"The power of the biometal..."

"Yeah. Looks like you can use it too."

There was a flash of red and where the crimson warrior had stood, was Giro.

"Boss! You...how..."

"Good to see you too. Glad you're alive and well."

"What happened?"

"Well, once I was cornered by the Mavericks, the package, Model Z, started glowing. Next thing I know, I'm opening a can of whoop-ass on the Mavericks in the form of a beam saber."

"Yeah...say...Boss? What on earth is going on here?"

"Unfortunately, there's no time to explain right now. I'm heading back to Guardian HQ."

"I'll go with you."

Giro smiled nervously.

Actually, there's a bit of a test before you can get into HQ. Head to Area C-1. If all went correctly, there should be a Guardian waiting for you.

"What!?"

"Later!"

Giro walked off.

"Boss! Boss!!! Damn it..."

Vent sighed.

"Area C-1...hey...what's this?"

Vent noticed something in the wreckage of the drop ship. Several computer chips that remained intact. Vent picked them up.

"Maybe I can have Prairie analyze these things and then we can get a better idea of what's going on. But before I can do that..."

Vent dragged himself to Area C-1.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Ugh! Finally!"

Vent had hauled himself through the town while basically playing hide-and-seek with four Guardians. You would have seen it, but the author found that to be too boring to put into the fic and just used a time lapse line, leaving the rest to your imagination. Vent stood before a Guardian.

"Way to go. I didn't think you'd find everyone that fast."

"I'm going to choose to ignore that."

"Ha ha ha! Anyway, here. This is proof you passed the test."

The Guardian handed Vent a stuffed animal. A cat more specifically. Vent gawked at it.

"You're joking? This is my certification."

"Hey, lose that thing and Prairie will kick your ass. She loves that doll like nothing I've ever seen."

Vent couldn't help but imagine a irritated Prairie. He found the image of her angry to be extremely cute, and he just laughed.

"I'll take your word for it."

"Good. You can contact HQ behind me in the trans-sever."

"Great!"

Vent enterd the Data Room behind the Guardian and sighed.

"Awwww, man. This is only a Semi-Trans-sever. I can't teleport with this!"

He irritably opened a communication link to Guardian HQ located in Area X.

"Area X? Never heard of it...Uh...is this Guardian HQ?"

Prairie's voice came through the other end.

"Oh for...will you telemarketers stop calling us!? We--"

"Prairie? It's me, Vent!"

"Vent? Oh-no. Sorry about that."

"No...problem. Um...I was told to tell you that I passed the test."

"Oh really? Great. See you at the HQ!"

"Prairie!? Wait! This is only a semi-trans-server! I can't--"

Prairie cut off the link. Vent sighed.

"Guess I'm walking back to that trans-server I saw earlier."

Before Vent left, a large energy crystal popped out of the box on the side.

"Is this...pay? Whatever, mine now."

Vent's legs were dying right about the time he reached the trans-server and punched in the coordinates for Area X-1. The coordinates were denied and instead, replaced with an energy signature before teleporting him.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Wha?!"

Vent was warped into a room with Prairie, Giro, and Aile a moment later.

"Wow. A welcoming party."

Aile rolled her eyes.

"Did you think we weren't going to be waiting for you?"

"Eh heh heh. I guess not."

Vent looked out the window and was met with clouds. He looked down and saw the city below him."

"An airship. Nice ride."

Prairie nodded.

"We need to get to places fast. This is the best way for us."

"Oh! Prairie! I found something dropped by a rouge drop ship that attacked me. Thought maybe you guys could scan them and get some clues."

"Ah! Yes, we can do that. Thanks!"

Vent handed over the computer ships as Giro walked up and knocked Vent in the back of the head.

"Vent! She's a client! You know better than to call a client by their first name! Jeez. Thought I taught you better."

Prairie giggle.

"It's fine, Giro. I mean really, always with the formalities."

"But--"

"Now, we need to analyze these. We'll call you when we're done."

Prairie walked out of the room and Giro headed after her like he intended on staying up to date on wha was happening. Vent and Aile didn't say anything at first until Aile stepped up.

"I'm glad to see Boss is in one piece."

"Yeah, I am too."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm happy you're alive too. I was just worried about you two."

"I'm fine. I don't think you need to worry about Boss though. The way he used that beam saber when he was merged with Model Z was incredible. It was like an extension of his arm."

Aile nodded and the two fell silent again. Vent turned away and looked out the window. Aile did the same, but he glance was tugged to her left. To Vent's face. Something was different about him. His eyes seemed sharper, his face more stern. Like something had decided to awaken within him after laying dormant for many years.

"He's...changed. He wore the biometal for barely three hours and yet...I don't know what's happened to him but he seems so much more...mature..."

Aile shook her head.

"Vent?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened out there? When you were wearing the biometal?"

Vent began to tell his story and the events of the day. Aile listened carefully, fairly surprised to hear Vent had done what he did. He never struck her as a fighter, and had a feeling that Vent felt no different. However, surprised as she was, everything Vent said seemed unusually characteristic of him. She suspected that this wasn't the end of the changes inside of him.

"...It seems like you've been through a lot in three hours."

"I suppose so."

"Vent--"

Prairie's voice came over Vent and Aile's earpieces.

"Vent? Aile? Come to the command center."

"Yeah, sure."

"Roger that."

The two looked at one another. Vent smiled.

"Guess we'll have to talk more later, then?"

"Yeah. Let's go. Best not to keep the others waiting."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Thank you all for coming. I'd like to thank yuoou all for coming, and to welcome you to Guardian headquarters."

They were on the command deck of the airship. Prairie turned around from a comfortable looking chair. Her stuffed animal had chair all its own that matched the motions of Prairies.

"Also, I'd like to take the time to properly introduce myself."

The pink-clad girl stood and nodded.

"I'm Prairie, the commander of the Guardians."

Vent and Aile were surprised and not surprised all at the same time. Vent nodded.

"The commander of all the Guardians, eh? That means..."

Giro nodded.

"Yeah, she's an important person, and therefore, an important client. That's why I said you shouldn't be calling her by first name."

Prairie rolled her eyes, but was smiling all at the same time.

"Realx, Giro. I told you it was fine. We're all friends here!"

Aile stepped forward.

"But Prairie doesn't look much older than Vent and I. How on earth did she get to be leader?"

Prairie ignored them and her face too a much more serious look.

"...Reploids and Mechaniloids gone rouge...irregulars...Mavericks...call them whatever you want. They are continually attacking people. Even with Slither Inc.'s defense force, that isn't enough. The Maverick problem shouldn'e even be right now."

Prairie glanced out the large windshield of the command deck.

"I'm sure you all know that several hundered years ago Reploids and humans put aside their issues and finally ended the stuggles they faced. Yet even now, the Mavericks still exist. The Guardians' purpose is to investigate the root of the outbreaks. The cause if you will."

Prairie turned to face the three again.

"One day we found lab that belonged to a famous scientist."

Vent raised an eyebrow.

"Famous scientist?"

"Yes. The first commander of the Guardians...who disappeared. She was my Sis."

Aile nodded.

"So you took over when she vanished."

Giro folded his arms.

"And you found the biometals in her lab, which you then had us haul to you."

"Yes. Once, humans and machines were saved by heroes of legend, if you will. Biometals are fragments that hold the consciousness of the heroes. We believe that there may be a hint to the cause of the Mavericks in the lab's data banks. Fleuve, the vice-commander: His lab is right next door. I'd like you to allow him to analyze the biometals."

Vent nodded.

"You got it!"

"We're just about done scanning the computer chips provided by Vent."

Giro and Aile headed for the computer room. Vent thought over what Prairie had said and just snapped back to reality.

"Huh? Oh! Right."

Prairie laughed to herself as Vent scurried out. When Vent arrived in Fleuve's lab, the short reploid was waiting.

"Ah, there you are. I've been waiting. May I see the Biometal?"

Vent handed over the hunk of blue and white metal. Fleuve put it on an analyzer and and tapped at his keyboard. There was a hum, a series of tones, and a 'ding!' before Fleuve gave it back to Vent.

"Here you are. Thank you."

Just as Vent took it back, alarms began going off everywhere. A voice came over the intercom.

"Attention! Mavericks have been detected in Area D! Report to the command deck and await orders! I repeat--!"

Fleuve nodded.

"That's our que boys and girls! Lets go!"

Giro snarled.

"Damn! Area D is right next to Slither Inc. head office!"

Vent and the others scrambled to the command deck. There, Prairie greeted them with the face of a leader.

"Our enemy is on the move."

Giro stepped forward with a glint in his eye.

"You mean they're not just random outbreaks!?"

"Vent's little computer chip collection contained better intel than we thought. There's a program controlling the so-called Mavericks. Whoever is behind this is making it look like it was all random, but that's a facade. They are after the biometal, just like we originally expected after the team that took the biometals to Giro reported in last night."

Aile watched Vent's eyes take on that sharp look again. Vent stepped in front of Giro.

"Where the hell is Serpent's security force!? What are they doing?"

Prairie sighed.

"You know them, Vent. It takes time for them to be called back only to be redeployed. Guardian forces are on an intercept course."

"Headquarters! Come in! The Mavericks are heading for the residential district! We're exchanging fire on the highway!"

Vent turned to leave.

"Damn it!"

Fleuve stopped him.

"Vent, hold on! Where are you going!?"

"I intend to stop them. With the biometal, I can do it!"

Aile grabbed his arm as he tried to leave again.

"Vent, no! It's dangerous out there!"

Giro nodded.

"I agree with Aile. You'll play right into their hands."

Vent pulled free of Aile.

"Aile and I lost our parents to Mavericks. If Serpent's forces had gotten off their asses, maybe they'd still be here. They could have stopped them, but didn't. I won't make that same mistake."

Vent bolted out. Prairie stood up.

"Vent!"

Giro sighed and, despite himself smiled.

"Don't bother, Prairie. He never listens."

Giro went after him leaving Prairie, Fleuve, and Aile. Aile frowned.

"Be careful out there you two."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Vent dashed up the highway with Model X upon him. He stopped when he heard Giro's voice.

"Vent! Wait up!"

Giro dashed up merged with Model Z.

"Boss? Um...I..."

"I'm not stopping you. I'm not however, going to sit on the sidelines. Let's get 'em!"

"Boss! Alright let's go!"

"I'll take the point. You get the rear!"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Don't call me 'Sir.' That makes me feel older than I am."

Giro smiled as he dashed off. For every Maverick he slashed, another came behind him, leaving Vent with work to be done. There we mechaniloids Vent hadn't met yet, but he tore through them fairly easily. As he moved down the highway, he ran into a large, fly-like Maverick. He aimed his buster and smirked.

"Bring it."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After plowing through two of the massive Mavericks, crumbling floors, large rolling hunks of metal, and green electricity spewing robots, Vent came up on the Slither Inc. Building. He was shocked by what he saw.

"Boss!?"

Giro lay on the ground in a heap over him was a white and blue reploid with a staff, what appeared to be a modern form of the Grim Reaper, and man in a green coat with purple hair. Giro groaned as the man turned to Vent, who became tense.

"Ah yes. At last. Model X. The blue Mega Man. Model Z...Model X...time to see the legends in action."

The man suspended his hand over Giro who struggled to speak.

"Vent...get...away...its a trap..."

Giro suddenly yelled as a light enveloped him. Vent wanted to move, but couldn't. The three figures teleported away. Giro stood and clutched his chest, trembling. Vent took a step toward him.

"Boss!? What happened!? Are you--"

"...me."

"What?"

"Sh..."

"Boss?"

"V-Vent! Sh-shoot me..."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

If you saw that cliffhanger coming...well...I'd like to say you win something, but I guess all I did was frustrate you. Anyway this chapter turned out much bigger than I though. I guess I didn't think it would take this much text to get this far. Anyway, I'm pleased with how this came out and I hope you are too. As always, reviews would be appreciated. I'd really like some feedback for future reference.

I suppose that maybe two days wasn't long enough between updates. At this rate, I may get done too quickly, and I wanna enjoy this damn it! Expect the next update anywhere between Friday and Monday. I'm evil. I admit it, but where's the fun if you don't get to squirm and guess what I'm gonna do next? Anyway I've got some plans brewing upstairs. It's not in the near future, but I think one thing imparticular I have planned is bound to throw some of you for a loop...or at least make you laugh. I'm getting ahead of myself.

Next chapter is the Vent/Giro fight! Hope you read the next installment of Rebirth of Madness!

Update: M'kay. I won't be posting Chapter 5 tonight. Quite frankly, I forgot about the update and I don't have time to finish it. I blame my forgetfulness...and my addiction to Star Wars Battlefront 2. ;;;